Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-12-08
ON GOOD BREEDING.
TheIndescribable''S e''Something'' Which
Makes "a Gentleman u Gentleman.

Subtle, fragrant. inaescribable, but all
pervading is that lovely thing we call goo'
breeding. As subtle and as ndescribable
but by no means fragrant, il it's ungainl.
4 opposite. Keenly conscious of the absenc
of the former, but unable TO exactly specif!
aud define when present, we know and feel
| but cannot analyze nor tabulate-save IL
cases of exceptional sweetness and refine
ment, when we can touch the exact actor
| and repeat the commanding word whicl
governed all. So with ill-breeding. WecaI
scarcely say where IL was unless the misde
| meanor was ms deep rs well, ,as wide as an
church door but there it was and we fel
aud knew, whether we were able TO define
il or not. No one can describe discord mol
harmony. So with the mystery of good
breeding-the subtle harmony and passing
flavor Of true politeness. It Is heard in an
intOna.ion--an infiection-in the choice ot
one word over another seemingly its twin,
but with just that difference of application,
rather than meaning, which creates the
essence of good breeding. The almost
microscopic recognition of stranger-the
specialized attention of an unobtrnsive kind
lis IFS evidence the careless neglect of an
apparently insignificant form is its death
warrant. To be the only stranger in room
ful of intimat Is and 10 be unintroduced a
neglected is an act of ill-breeding specially
Britannia. II by chance one more kind
hearted 10 begin with, aud more polished by
friction 20 go ON with, takes pity on the poor
social waif and stray and offers any atten
ton or reels of the thread of conversa-
tiOn, that person has this marvellous charm
we call good breeding, In which all the rest
have been deficient When you enter a
room and are presented 20 the hostess her
reception of you proves her good breeding
or her bad. The way her children meet you
the way in which, at any age beyond the
babyhood, they speak and hold themselves
lis so eloquent of their gentle training or
ungentle rs is correct accent or provin-
cial. No idiosyncrasy mars the real essence
OF good breeding, and all the excuses made for
lapses and lessons are futile.
Good breeding is the current coin of So
ciety. He who is bankrupt therein ought not
10 take rank with the rest. The defanlting
Lombard had his bench broken in full con-
claye and was chased out of the street where
his better brethren carried on their business
What the old money-clangers and money
lenders did with their defaulting members,
society ought 10 do TO the ill-bred-to the
people who oppose all you say for the mere
sake of opposing you, and dot for anything
approaching 10 principle who contradict
you fatty, and do not apologize when they
are proved in the wrong tell you home
truths of bilious complexion and vinegar
aspect who repeat ill-natured remarks
made in their presence, or repeated 10 them,
making you feel you are scorned and de
spised you know not why, and vilitied with
out the chance given yon for self justitica-
rion who abuse your known friends and
ascribe 10 them all the sins of the Decalogue,
who brutally attack your known principles
in religion, morals, politics who sheer at
at your cherished superstitions and fall foul
of your confessed weaknesses who take the
upper hand Of you generally, not counting
susceptibilities as worth the traditional but
ton. Such people as these-and there are
many of them masquerading as ladies and
gentlemen of good position and irreproacha-
bic credentials--hut no matter what their
lineage or fortune they should be cashiered,
and society would be all the sweeter and more
wholesome for the want of them. Contrast
these spiny hedgehogs, these aggressive
thorn-bushes, these singing mosquitoes
and ramping tarantulas with their opposite
the well-breed and gentle folk who never
tread on your corns nor offend your suscep-
tibilities in any way and who carefully
carry out of sight all their own private lit
tie flags which may be your bed rags. This
is not want of courage, but it is good breed
inu